Palisades Parade Kicks Off Election Season

Moving next year's primary to April may have lessened the impact of the Palisades Parade, the traditional kick-off for D.C.'s election season, but the politicians still came out yesterday. Below, the highlights:

Best Candy: LL can't tell you the results of the Democratic primary for mayor, but in the crucial stuff-to-hand-out category, Jack Evans has already won. While Muriel Bowser's entourage handed out flags and Mayor Vince Gray gave away beads, Evans' group arrived with huge sacks of name-brand candy. Flags are nice, but nothing gets the kids cheering for some random politician like Snickers.

Best Stickers: Whoever is making Wells' campaign stickers is going to have a very good 2013, LL suspects. Wells' supporters wore rainbow stickers promoting a "livable, walkable, danceable" Washington at the Capital Pride parade, but yesterday they opted for red, white, and blue stickers and a new slogan: "Celebrating a Livable, Walkable Fourth of July."

Best Fringe Candidate: Perennial office-seeker Calvin Gurley, still riding high off afterearning 57,000 votes against Phil Mendelson in November's election for chairman, says he will run once again. But judging by the banner Gurley inexplicably set up in front of the post-parade party, you'd think he already has the gig.

Best Frenemies: Mary Cheh and fire chief Kenneth Ellerbe, spotted chatting by the Masons hot dog tables just three days after she called for his resignation. Ellerbe was just as diplomatic with LL, saying only that Cheh is entitled to her opinion.

Calvin Gurley will beat Phil Mendleson whether you like it or not. So get use to referring to that black man as Chairman Gurley.

Phil Mendleson days as Chairman in this city are over!

Remember that the same thing that makes you laugh can make you cry.

RealDC

I agree Tony.

Mendo has been a disappointment as chair. The way he has been defending Graham is ridiculous. Makes you wonder about Phil's moral compass. Everybody is giving him a pass because his predecessor was the BAMA of the year!! So by comparison Mendo is not a bama but he is WEAK......

Phil sucks! Go Gurley!!

truth hurts

My favorite Palisades Parade memory: Suderman riding on Gray's float shortly after replacing DeBonis as LL. Tried to warn him that Gray's one city would end badly. And we're only in the early innings.

Not watching the game very closely, noodlez? Lemme break it down for you, my whack brother.

Machen struck out every one city player he faced -- pitching a perfect game heading into the middle innings. Vince skipped pre-game batting practice, hasn't picked up a bat, and is afraid to leave the dugout. Machen's about to raise a point of order -- security peeps are forcing Thompson into the batter's box, and Machen's winding up. Gonna whiff him on three pitches.

Gray's up to bat after Thompson. Score: TEAM USA (MACHEN) - 10. TEAM ONE CITY - 0. Rumor is Gray's looking for a walk, but Machen's throwing nothing but strikes.